Parents urged to apply for primary school places as deadline looms

Parents across the country have less than a week to apply for their child's primary school place.

If you fail to apply by the deadline, your little one could possibly miss out on a school place, for the start of the next academic year - September 2018.

Mums and dads can fill in the application online, via their local council website.

The same process will apply even if the school you want your child to go to is outside of your council's area.

Parents must also fill in the form even if their desired school is linked to their child's current nursery.

Private schools have their own admissions procedures, contact them directly about their application process.

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The deadline for primary school places is Tuesday, January 15.

It applies to children born between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015.

You are advised to make at least three preferences when filling in your application.

Parents will be asked to rank their preferred schools, showing their first, second and third desired options.

As well as sending the form online, you can also print it off and send it via post. You can find the address on your council's website.

You will be notified of the outcome on Tuesday, April 16, either by email or letter.

What to do next?

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Celebrate if you got into your top choice. There will be hundreds of families who didn’t.

Most importantly, you must reply by Wednesday, May 1. That is the cut-off date, so don’t miss it.

You have a few options.

Accept the place in the online portal, and click send.

Reject the place, and ask to go on a waiting list for one of the other schools you applied for, but did not get an offer for.

However, this does not guarantee you a place.

Can I appeal?

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You will be sent a letter about your child's school place which will give you a guide on how to appeal the decision.

Depending on the school, the appeal process might be dealt with by the council or the school board.

You have until May to appeal your child's school place. In order to do this you need to contact the council in writing - you can find the form on your local council website.

Some councils will let you submit the form via email, others may require that you send it by post.

If the primary school directly deals with its appeals, you will need to contact them to find out how the process works and, where you can get the form from.

The local council will have a deadline of when you need to lodge your appeal by. Check the website - under the school admissions section - to find out.

You must appeal against each rejection separately.

Accept the school place your child has been offered. Although you might be unhappy with it, you run the risk of your child not having a school come September.

Once you have done this, put your child's name down on waiting lists for other schools you like. Check your local council website to find out which schools have waiting lists and if there are any free spaces in other schools.

Appeal hearing

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After you have sent your appeal off, the school or the council must give you at least 10 school days notice before the hearing takes place.